Dance with the Enemy
by fishergirl16
Summary: Zuko has found refuge in the great city of Ba Sing Se. So has Katara and her friends, but with her and Zuko's rocky past, crossing paths again is out of the question. But when Katara encounters a mysterious new stranger, the tables turn and everything is not as it seems.
1. A Harmless Meeting

The sun was shining on his face, the air hot and humid, trees all around him. Why did Uncle have to make him pluck tea leaves in the afternoon? It was all a disguise anyway; Zuko didn't see the point of it all. He knew that Azula was chasing after him and Uncle, but did they have to open a tea shop at Ba Sing Se?

Uncle had given him a list of all the tea leaves that he was needing for the shop. Zuko was initially reluctant, but eventually gave in and decided to look for the stupid leaves. He searched around thoroughly, but his limited botanical knowledge didn't help to make the search easier.

Zuko felt uncomfortable with the heavy foundation plastered onto his face. It was needed, however. Because his banishment was such a publicity, the scar made by his father would easily give away his identity. His hair was also undone from its usual ponytail; the black hair was cut short and messy.

Zuko continued to search for the leaves, but to no avail. He was exhausted and ready to shout at Uncle to go find the leaves himself, but his derogatory thoughts were quickly silenced by the sight of a young girl.

"I've seen her before...", Zuko quietly whispered to himself.

With a start, he realized that she was no one but Katara, the girl who was always around Aang, the Avatar. His heart beat faster, and he quickly concealed his presence completely.

_"What are these guys doing in Ba Sing Se?_", he thought to himself frantically, "_These are the worst people I could run into; they'd cause a commotion and reveal both Uncle and I immediately, possibly getting us captured by Earthbenders or Azula."_

Zuko, being the sharp strategist that he is, decided to quietly walk away before being noticed by the girl. He started off slowly, darting from tree trunk to tree trunk to get out from the forest.

Suddenly, he heard a voice behind him, "Hello? Young man? Could you please help me find some aloe in this forest?" Zuko stiffened. It was unmistakably the voice of Katara. He thought about running off, but decided it would be too suspicious to do so.

Plastering a smile on his already plastered face, Zuko turned around and met Katara's eyes. Her cerulean pupils seemed to pierce into his own black orbs, and he felt terribly vulnerable. Her eyes held a kind look in them, however, so she could not have known that he was the Fire Lord's banished prince. Zuko raised a hand in greeting and began to walk towards her.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, but my friend is hurt and I was looking for some aloe to apply on the wound. Do you know whether I could find some here?", Katara kindly asked.

Surprisingly, Zuko did know where to find some aloe, even with his small scope of plant knowledge. He needed to leave the forest quickly, however, before Katara could recognize him, and lied instead.

"I'm sorry; I'm really not sure where to find aloe here.", Zuko replied.

"Oh, that really sucks. I guess I'll have to keep searching.", Katara said. A long silence pierced the conversation and Zuko felt the heat rising in his cheeks. Prepared to make an exit, Katara suddenly interjected, "What brings you to the forest today?", in a conversational tone.

Zuko was prepared to lie, but decided that his reason for being in the forest was pretty normal overall, and so just told the truth.

"I'm here to find some tea leaves for my Uncle's tea shop. I seem to be having some trouble, though.", Zuko carefully laughed.

"Oh really? I could help you find those. Let me see your list and we could go search for the leaves together, and maybe find some aloe along the way.", Katara kindly remarked.

Zuko quietly panicked. Katara couldn't help him find the leaves; during the time it takes to find them, she may realize who he really was. He quickly formulated an acceptable response.

"Thank you, but I'm really fine. I was going to get back to my Uncle's and ask him to come help me out.", Zuko remarked.

"All right, if you insist. I'd better get going then. Thanks for your help, although you didn't help very much at all", Katara smirked. Zuko felt a tinge of guilt for not helping. Despite the past, Katara seemed caring and genuinely kind towards him. "Haha, I'm kidding. My friends and I are new to Ba Sing Se, so we really don't have anywhere to go. Where is your Uncle's tea shop located? I'd love to visit."

Again, Zuko was worried about telling Katara where the tea shop was. If she or Aang came to the tea shop and saw Uncle and him, there may be some big trouble. But it was terribly suspicious not to disclose an address, so he ended up giving in.

"It's around the Southeast side of Ba Sing Se, in the shopping district.", Zuko replied, internally reluctant.

"I'll definitely come by. Nice to meet you then! See you around!", Katara chirped cheerfully. Zuko waved his hand off awkwardly and turned around, eager to stop the panic in his head.

"Hey wait!", Katara called out to him. Zuko felt a strong urge to run again, but stopped short and turned around as Katara's hand lightly grazed his shoulder. "I found some tea leaves!", Katara said enthusiastically.

"Oh, thank you so much.", Zuko remarked and awkwardly received the leaves. Feeling guilty, he decided to point out some aloe to Katara as well. He grasped the leaves tightly in his hand and took a step forward, hesitantly. "Hey, umm, you know I think I remember seeing a aloe bush near a stream a few yards west from here."

"Oh really? Thanks for the advice! Looks like you were a big help after all.", Katara giggled. "I guess I'll be going now. I'll drop by your Uncle's tea shop sometime!"

Zuko smiled and waved his hand. When Katara was finally out of sight, Zuko breathed a sigh of relief. His cover was so close to being blown. Both him and Uncle needed to be more careful around the shop now, especially if anyone from Aang's group came by. Ba Sing Se may not be the safest place to be anymore. He had _told_ Uncle not to come here, maybe not because of the Avatar, but he was still going to rub it in Uncle's face all the same.

Zuko quickly started home from the forest, tea leaves in hand. He could still feel the haunting, piercing quality of Katara's eyes, looking into him and seeing him as the banished Prince that he was. But there was a kindness in those eyes that also seemed to 'enchant' him. He shivered at the thought and walked faster towards the tea shop.

**Author's Note:**

This is the first fanfiction my friend and I have ever written. Please review and give us feedback! We'd love to hear what you think! Also, please read the upcoming chapters :)


	2. Obsession

As she scampered away from the young man in the forest, Katara's heart beat fast. She wondered to herself just who he was. She wasn't even able to get his name! He was so nice though, and funny. She giggled to herself as she remembered the boy's awkward motions and expressions. Katara was going to have to get Toph to go with her to that tea shop sometime.

Not after long, Katara found the stream in the forest, just as the boy had said. She quickly plucked the aloe and hurried off home to help Sokka. He had been sparring with Aang, and as always, he had been totally beaten and had sustained a few wounds. She didn't know why Sokka wouldn't just give up after so many times of failing.

As Katara slipped into the quaint house she and the gang were staying at, everyone was mostly in a relaxed mood-Toph picked her toenails, Aang played with Momo, Sokka ate some unhealthy dessert. The reason the gang had come to Ba Sing Se was for Aang to continue learning earthbending from Toph. She seemingly only liked to bend with the ground found in the Earth Kingdom, whatever that meant. She, in her stubbornness, demanded that everyone stay in Ba Sing Se until Aang was proficient at earthbending. Aang didn't seem to mind though. After all, he loved Ba Sing Se. It was the place that sheltered them, welcomed them.

"Hey Katara! Where've you been?", Aang jumped up from the couch.

"Getting some aloe leaves for Sokka's wound. Looks like he doesn't seem to care very much though.", Katara remarked snidely.

Sokka looked up, frosting splattered on his face from the cake he was chomping.

"What!? I'm such a caring brother; you couldn't find another one like me anywhere.", Sokka said indignantly.

"Uh-huh.", Katara giggled. "Just lift up your sleeve for me, my 'infinitely caring brother'."

Sokka rolled his eyes, but complied. Katara carefully smeared the pulp from the aloe leaves on his gash, and wrapped it tightly with a bandage.

"Ah, that's better." Sokka sighed in relief.

"So how has the earthbending been coming along?" inquired Katara, turning to face Aang. Though, she knew that Aang was doing everything but practicing. She wished Aang took his bending more seriously. They came miles just to ensure he could learn earthbending properly, but all he did was goof around.

"Umm..it's going great! Toph just showed me this new move. Let's show her, Toph." Aang remarked nervously. Aang sprang up and he and Toph sprinted towards the wide garden full of open space outside their house.

He planted his feet firmly on the ground, while Toph stood a few feet in front of him. Katara couldn't wait to see this. Aang lifted his foot off the ground and balled his hands into fists. With a deep breath, Aang stomped his foot in front of him and pumped his right fist towards the sky. Suddenly, a sliver of rough rock emerged from the earth. Only it came up several yards away from Toph, hitting an invisible enemy.

"I wonder where that rock was going...", Aang blushed and nervously laughed.

He tried again, hopeful, and this time the sliver of rock came up from behind Toph and smacked her butt. Toph flew forward with a scream and landed atop Aang.

"Nice going, Twinkletoes!", Toph groaned.

They both got up and brushed the dirt off their pants. Toph shot an evil glare at Aang, who merely put his arm at the back of his head and smiled sheepishly.

"Great work, you two. We only came all the way to Ba Sing Se just to help you guys train. Please take things more seriously. You're the Avatar, Aang.", Katara sighed, exasperated.

"I'm sorry, Katara. Toph and I will work a lot harder from now on, I promise.", Aang repented, clasping his hands over his head.

Sokka looked over from inside the house and snorted. "Yeah, you've said that the other fifty times you've failed."

Katara glared at Sokka, then smiled at Aang. "It's all right, Aang. I just don't want our time to be wasted, you know? The faster we teach you earthbending, the faster you'll master it.", Katara said.

"Yeah, and the faster we'll be able to go do fun stuff! We've been here for a week now and we still haven't done anything." Toph complained.

Katara laughed, and then a content silence fell over everyone. They were all so happy they could just be having fun bickering like this. The sun was starting to set, and the sky was painted a brilliant orange. In the faltering light, everything seemed to glow. Ba Sing Se was such a majestic, amazing place. All the elaborate, intricate delivery pipes seemed to pulse like the veins of a living creature, transporting goods and letters to all the people living in the city. The city was divided into different areas, the rich towards the heart of the city and the poor along the outskirts. Patches of greenery embellished the town and water tumbled and cascaded along small, crystal clear streams. Everyone basked in the beauty for a moment, taking in their surroundings. Their house was elevated so that if they looked off the garden balcony, they could see the entire city. Katara looked off into the distance and the shopping district caught her attention. She peered closely and noticed near the center a small shop with a little flag of a picture of a teacup hanging in front of the store. That must be his tea shop, Katara thought to herself. A small smile discreetly found its way on her face and Aang looked at her, clearly puzzled.

"Why are you smiling?" Aang asked.

"Oh, umm, no reason.", Katara said quickly, wiping the smile off her face.

She had to be more careful. The gang were new to Ba Sing Se and if her friends found out she met someone, it could raise flags. They carried the Avatar, master of all four elements, and that made their group a huge target to many enemies. Enemies like Zuko, prince of the Fire Nation.

Katara knew how irresponsible it was to make a new 'friend' but she couldn't help it. His amber eyes had entranced her. Those eyes that shone like the breathtaking sunset were all she could picture in her mind. She was terribly drawn to the way his eyes seem to drift away from hers mysteriously, yet pierced her when they met hers for even a second.

Katara shook the thought off and stepped away from the garden. Her romantic musings needed to be quelled, she told herself. Katara had to admit that she fell way too easily for any guy who paid her attention. She always had to remind herself of Jet, who she'd fallen for so easily, but had turned out terrible and had tried to kill so many innocent people.

But she quickly and inevitably fell back into the lull of her thoughts, imagining the face of the boy she'd met, how his black hair shone from the light filtered through the trees in the woods. How could such a kind, beautiful person ever turn out like Jet?

Katara shook her head, literally. This clearly wasn't the time to be thinking about falling in love. Right now, the fate of the world was at stake in Aang's hands, and she needed to help guide him to be ready for Sozin's Comet.

She decided that getting some sleep would be the best way to unwind and rid herself of her childish thoughts. Katara went and bid her goodnight to everyone, and receded into the room that she and Toph shared.

She changed into a comfortable nightgown and settled into her bed, allowing the quiet of the night to seep into her skin and calm her troubled mind. Katara still found herself haunted by thoughts of the nameless boy, but she willed herself to sleep, and sleep she did, until she was rudely awakened by one very excited blind girl.

"Wake up! Wake up! Sugar Queen, I just heard the best news all week!" Toph practically screamed at her.

Katara rolled over, clearly irritated. "Yeesh, what time is it? Can't this wait until morning?"

"No, it can't wait! I just heard there's a dance in the center of the shopping district tomorrow night. We should go, just the two of us. It should spice up our trip some." Toph winked.

Katara wasn't listening to Toph, too tired to think. But the words 'shopping district' somehow registered in her ears, and her eyes widened.

"Toph, what about the shopping district?" Katara suddenly interjected, wide awake.

"Woah, Sugar Queen, what's gotten into you all of a sudden.", Toph smirked, being able to feel Katara's rapidly beating heart through her feet."All I said was that there's gonna be a dance in the shopping district tomorrow."

"Oh. I see." Katara couldn't stop the blush that started to creep on her face. She berated herself internally for her weakness.

Toph was only egged on more by Katara's flushed face. "What's so special about the shopping district, huh? You hate shopping?" Toph smirked.

"No... I just, I don't know. Forget it." Katara shifted uncomfortably from where she sat on the bed.

"I can tell you're lying to me, Katara. Spill it." Toph demanded. Katara felt cornered and cursed to herself. She couldn't let Toph find out about the boy in the forest.

"I...uh. Please Toph, just leave it, okay?" Katara decided to plead, too desperate to get out of the tense situation.

"Sugar Queen, you know me. I'm not letting you sleep until you tell me what's going on. And I want to know every. Single. Detail." Toph persisted, torturing Katara.

After some bickering, Katara decided to give in. It couldn't hurt too much to tell Toph, could it? Sure, she'd get some devilish teasing, but it would end up okay. Katara made her promise by her heart not to tell anyone about her secret, but she still was worried Toph would tell the whole world. Well, at least now she has someone to reveal her fangirling about the boy to.

"So, do you want to go to the dance tomorrow? You might get a chance to see him! Although, Twinkletoes would be disappointed." Toph laughed.

To Toph's delight, Katara hesitantly remarked, "I guess we could go, but not for too long. And if I want to leave, then we leave. Got it?"

"Yup! Let's go sleep now; tomorrow night had better come super fast." Toph could barely control her excitement.

Actually, neither could Katara, but she kept it mostly within herself. She could barely sleep again without imagining the boy, romantically taking her hand and asking her to dance. Katara willed her thoughts to quiet down; she wanted just to sleep peacefully. She needed to keep her eyes on Aang, and his training, but she guessed a little fun couldn't hurt. It was only one night. Katara sighed and drifted into a deep sleep, anxious for the coming day.


	3. Great Expectations

Zuko swept the floor of the tea shop, not sure what to do. There weren't many customers during the heat of the afternoon. He wiped sweat from his brow and continued to clean. Uncle had gone to get some groceries for the two of them, and so Zuko was in charge of the store. Eventually, he decided to sit in one of the chairs and relax for a few minutes.

The tea shop was very quaint, nothing too special about it. It was a small, single-story building made out of wood, standing near the center of the shopping district. A stepping stone and two wooden pillars flanked the door, marking the entrance to the little shop. Two lanterns glimmered on the pillars throughout the night, inviting passersby to enjoy a freshly brewed cup of tea. Zuko admired the simplicity of the design. Despite what he said, he didn't mind working as a waiter in the shop. He found it much better than his previous silly quest to capture the Avatar for his honor. He was glad that Uncle had persuaded him to give that up. Zuko enjoyed Uncle's way of life. But still, sometimes, he felt lost in life without his constant goal of regaining honor, as if without a purpose.

Zuko ceased his ruminating as Uncle Iroh walked in the door.

"Zuko, I just heard some great news!", Uncle exclaimed.

Zuko stood. "What is it, Uncle?" He was hesitant; Uncle's news usually wasn't that great for him.

He shoved a flyer in Zuko's face. "We can cater our tea here! It will bring us some good business.", Uncle beamed.

Zuko quickly scanned the flyer. "A dance tonight? Would tea really be appropriate at a dance?"

"I'd think so. Young people these days really need to appreciate the wonders of tea." Uncle's smile was so wide, Zuko couldn't help but comply to bringing tea to the event.

As Uncle went on and on about ideas for brewing the tea and presenting it at the dance, Zuko smiled and let himself join in Uncle's excitement for it. As he did so, he found his thoughts drifting to Katara. Even though that meeting was harmless, he was worried that she or others could show up at the dance or at the tea shop. Zuko needed to be careful, and decided to tell Uncle about the incident in the forest.

Uncle smirked. "What are you so worried about, Prince Zuko? Do you have eyes for this Katara girl?"

Zuko couldn't help the blush that crept up on his cheeks. He felt so ashamed that Uncle would even think of such a thing. "Uncle! Don't you realize she could be a threat to our livelihood? What if our location is revealed to the Fire Nation because of the Avatar?"

"You must not be so uptight. Let those worries go and just enjoy your life. This girl won't like you if you act like this.", Iroh remarked, mockingly but also sincerely.

Zuko was exasperated. He let out a groan of frustration and stalked off to his room. He stretched out on his bed and tried to calm down. Zuko hoped that Katara or others from Aang's group wouldn't come to the dance; he could still see her eyes in his head, piercing him.

Meanwhile, in the shop, Uncle sat at one of the tables, thinking about Zuko. He understood his sense of loss from letting go of his quest of honor. Zuko's whole life had been devoted to gaining respect from his father and capturing the Avatar. Now, without that, he must feel purposeless in the world. Iroh wanted Zuko to find another goal for his life, one that is noble and fulfilling.

Hearing that the Avatar's group is in Ba Sing Se, Iroh felt that Zuko would truly find himself if he devoted his efforts to bringing balance and peace to the world. Despite this, Uncle would never force Zuko into doing anything, but nudging him in the direction of the Avatar would be the best, in Iroh's opinion. However, getting this ideal plan to come to fruition will be rather difficult.

Iroh sighed, pulling himself from his thoughts, and went to knock on Zuko's door to ask him to help with the preparation for the dance, putting a beaming smile on his face.

* * *

Katara pinned back one more strand of hair behind her head, then glanced at the mirror. Her eyes glided across her reflection, taking in every detail, from the hues on her kimono to the gems that dangled from her ears. It took awhile, but she managed to put herself together nicely for tonight's dance. She only hoped Tea Boy appreciated her outfit as much as she did, maybe even more so. Katara crossed the threshold into the living room, where Toph stood impatiently in her normal outfit.

"Toph, why aren't you dressed yet? The dance is in 10 minutes!" Katara exclaimed, incredulous.

"What are you talking about? I am dressed." Toph said, confused.

"You're going like that? It's a dance, at least try to dress up." Katara advised. Katara saw this coming; Toph was never the girly type. The thought of makeup and fine gowns repulsed her and one dance didn't seem to be enough of a reason to change her habits.

"It's not like it matters, anyway. I can't even see what I look like, so what's the difference?" Toph questioned.

"Well, others will see you. And everyone will be dressing up, so why not join in the fun?" Katara remarked.

"There's nothing fun about dressing up." Toph replied stubbornly.

It was terribly obvious that Toph was not going to dress up for the dance. Katara started to feel painfully self-conscious, as if she'd gone through so much trouble to groom herself for no reason. She sighed, realizing that her efforts to impress some nameless boy really were somewhat silly.

But Katara still wouldn't give up on Toph, she had to get this girl into something fancy, just for a change of pace if anything.

"Well have you ever tried to dress up? How can you know if you never tried to." Katara argued. Toph merely stood quietly, her arms crossed in frustration. Katara then grabbed Toph's arm and dragged her towards the wardrobe. Toph, protesting and squirming, ended up giving in and Katara managed to dress her up within minutes.

The two of them quickly slipped out from the room, and tiptoed to the door. They were trying to avoid Aang and Sokka, but sadly that plan didn't work out as expected.

"Hey Katara, where are you? Have you seen Momo?" Aang called through the house, his voice echoing.

Katara and Toph stood dead still, but their silence was to no avail.

"Oh, there you are, Kata-" Aang's eyes widened as he walked in the room. "Umm...uhh...what are you guys wearing? I mean, not like it looks bad or anything, but uhh, it just surprised me, and you look really pretty by the way..." Aang stuttered, blushing and fidgeting.

Just as Toph was about to interject and create an excuse, Sokka conveniently walks in as well. "Hey Toph, I need your help-Woah...what are you two doing? Where are you going?...Katara, if this is some secret rendezvous with some boy, then as your older brother I object-"

"Jeez! Both of you! Calm down! Katara and I are just going to the dance in the shopping district. Nothing special for you guys." Toph explained while she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, just like Toph said. We'll be back by 10. Now if you'll excuse us." Katara smiled. The girls turned away from the gawking guys before they could protest and strolled out of the house to the big party they'd been waiting for all day.


	4. Honored with a Dance

Zuko poured another cup of tea, placing it among the other forty glasses crowding the table. He leaned against the hard surface and looked around as teenagers began to fill the square of the shopping district. Light green and orange lanterns blazoned across the square, each light casting a surreal glow. White candles lined the sidewalk, flaming bright. But nothing could match the deep, glittering sky hanging above the crowd with its scattered stars.

A fountain graced the middle of the square, adding a touch of elegance. The water flowing through it cascaded in tumbling waves, creating a gentle sound that seemed to caress the ears. Zuko noted, irritably, that the scene would be very calming if not for the loud and rambunctious teenagers crowding the place.

He sighed and withdrew into himself, contemplating about how blatantly different his life was from those of the simple teenagers before him, even though their ages and appearances gave nothing away. Zuko wondered if his own life would have turned out this way if he hadn't been banished, or if he had just been born into a different family all together.

"Great dance, huh Zuko?" Uncle Iroh said, interrupting his thoughts.

"Yeah, sure. It's wonderful." Zuko responded tersely, his tone harsh.

All he was doing was tediously pouring tea for guests who barely even noticed the refreshments. Even the dance itself was terribly boring to him. He felt his presence here was meaningless, and he'd give anything to just go back to the tea shop and rest. The fancy attire Uncle had forced on him didn't make the event any more bearable either.

Uncle Iroh could see the displeasure written on Zuko's face. It was clear that he didn't appreciate being in such a place, and Iroh decided to hopefully lighten his spirits a bit.

"Prince Zuko, I think we have poured enough tea for tonight." Uncle Iroh said.

Zuko perked up at hearing his words because it sounded like they were finally about to depart from the party.

"Why don't you go and join in the fun? I'll handle things here; you go dance." Uncle Iroh said with a smile. Zuko immediately deflated and sank further into despair, finding himself becoming angry.

"Uncle, I don't dance and I don't want to dance. Truthfully, I'd just like to go home." Zuko said through gritted teeth, trying to suppress his growing temper.

But Iroh wouldn't hear of it. He simply poked Zuko repeatedly until, exasperated, the banished prince finally left the table and walked towards the dance floor. He felt incredibly awkward standing in the middle of the square while others danced with one another. Not only that, he actually felt lonely for once.

The feelings recalled a moment from when Zuko was younger. Dances in the Fire Nation were pretty commonplace, and during elementary school he had attended one with his mother. He remembered her gentle hand guiding him towards the dance floor, encouraging him just as Uncle had done minutes before. Back then, before his banishment, he had been a happier child. More normal, outgoing. Even though he had still felt awkward, he had giggled and enjoyed with the children around him. He vaguely remembered his mother smiling and waving at him through the crowd of kids. He had smiled back.

A twinge of sadness ripped through him. Not only did he regret his loss of friends and camaraderie, he also deeply longed for his mother.

Alone, awkward, and despairing, Zuko stood in the middle of the square, watching the other teenagers. Again, he felt a harsh separation from the rest of them, further troubling his distressed mind.

Absentmindedly, Zuko glanced at the incoming teenagers, his mind occupied with his dense thoughts. A girl walking in caught his attention; he immediately noted her beauty amongst the other guests. She had a certain distinction about her that wasn't physical only; she seemed to have the same separateness that he felt about himself. Her dark skin contrasted nicely against her blue eyes. Upon looking closer at them, they seemed to hold experience and wisdom beyond her years.

She looked extravagant in her scarlet silk kimono. It was trimmed by fine black and gold lace that only intensified the deep red and complimented her skin. The sleeves gracefully flowed down her arms, embellished by intricate designs of flowers. Her hair was pulled into a bun with braids loosely attached to it that framed her face. A beautiful silver hairpin of a rose was placed on her head, clipping the remaining strands of her chocolate hair to the side.

Zuko couldn't pull his eyes away from her, even though the dim light made her features unclear to him. He noticed that she had a companion whom with she laughed and conversed with. The other girl was short and petite, wearing a simple light green kimono with a white sash.

There was something curiously familiar about the dark-skinned girl, but Zuko couldn't quite recognize what it was. She turned around, and for a slight moment, their eyes met. Zuko felt a piercing sensation, eerily familiar to him. The girl from the forest flashed across his memory. He gasped silently.

_….The girl was Katara._

Inwardly panicking, he quickly moved deeper in the crowd, obstructing his view of her.

"_How could I be so careless?_", he berated himself.

He should have realized that it was her from the beginning, dim lighting or not. Zuko's heart had begun to beat terribly fast; he needed to find Uncle.

* * *

A bolt of electricity shot through Katara. There, only feet away from her, stood the boy from the forest, looking handsomer than ever. The crimson suit he wore contoured his lean torso, outlining his broad shoulders and firm biceps. Like her own attire, his suit featured a subtle gold and black trim along the chest and sleeves. His tall, dark figure stood out among the flamboyant teenagers, giving him a look of maturity. She felt her pulse race as he turned his head in her direction.

Their eyes met, and her heart leaped in her chest. Katara felt a deep blush tinting her cheeks. His amber eyes rekindled the flame inside of her-the compelling, bright color stark against his dark hair. But all too quickly, a distressed look overtook his face, and he swiftly turned away, walking deep into the crowd. Katara felt as if a cold dagger had pierced her chest. Her heart sank painfully; this was not how she pictured their reunion.

"_What if he saw my overly eager face and was turned away?_", Katara thought anxiously.

Trying to find solace from the sudden pain, she quickly told herself that the boy probably didn't even notice her.

"_But then why would he turn around so abruptly and have such a look on his face?_" She sighed.

Her overwhelming anticipation for a magical night began to dissipate. She felt all her excitement and joy slipping out of her hands. Katara realized how stupid she was to depend on some random boy for her happiness. She began to debate whether it was a good idea to even come to the dance.

Toph silently noticed that Katara's heart beat had quickened rapidly. But, in all of a few seconds, she felt her pulse abate, and a certain disappointment and glumness seemed to radiate off Katara. Toph, having been ready to tease her for her nervousness, realized that something had crushed Katara's hope, and she gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong, Katara?" Toph asked worriedly.

Katara felt terribly embarrassed for pinning all her hopes on the guy, and admitting it to Toph would only plunge her further into humiliation. However, Katara felt as if there were a huge block of iron compressing her chest, suffocating her. Revealing her pain to Toph seemed to be the only way to pry the dreadful weight off her.

"He's here..." Katara said in dismay, her eyes drifting to the side.

"If he's here, then why aren't you jumping for joy? You've been wanting this all day." Toph remarked, clearly confused.

"He saw me and...he walked away...there was this disgusted look on his face." Katara explained glumly. "How could I be such an idiot?"

Toph felt sympathy for Katara, but wasn't sure how to console her. She knew all too well what it was like to experience unrequited love. Her complicated relationship with Sokka was great proof of that. She still sometimes felt quite despondent when she saw Sokka's love for Suki. With her glum look on love herself, all Toph could do was reassure Katara.

"You're not an idiot, Katara. Maybe..maybe he just thought you were someone else. You shouldn't jump to conclusions." Toph pointed out.

Katara still had a disheartened look on her face despite Toph's reassurances. Toph decided to take another route of consolation.

"And if he really did turn away because of you, then you should just forget that asshole." Toph laughed playfully. Katara couldn't help but grin at Toph's extreme insult.

"You're right. Who needs him! Thanks, Toph." Katara smiled.

She still wasn't able to regain her former feeling of excitement, but Katara was glad she had such wonderful friends. She cheered up and decided that if a guy made her feel so sad, then he didn't deserve her in the first place.

"Now let's go have some fun for once!" Toph exclaimed happily. The girls laughed and waltzed off into the dance floor, ready to let go of their worries and just enjoy themselves.

* * *

Zuko moved quickly through the crowd, not bothering to look back at Katara. He needed to inform Uncle of her presence so they could both get away quickly.

After what seemed like forever, although it was but a few seconds, Zuko reached Uncle, where he sat comfortably next to the tea. He seemed to be dozing off; his head was lolling off to the side.

Zuko shook him awake and began to speak in a harsh whisper. "Uncle! The Avatar's friend, Katara, is here at the dance! We've got to go. Now."

To Zuko's surprise, Iroh began to laugh. "Is that so? Oh, isn't she the girl you were rather obsessed about earlier today?"

Zuko clenched his teeth. This wasn't the time for Uncle's antics. "Uncle, we need to act quickly before she sees us. I was careless and didn't recognize her for a moment, even allowing our eyes to meet. She was just so pretty; I couldn't look away. Now we need to-"

Uncle guffawed in laughter, cutting Zuko's frantic explanation off. For a whole two minutes, Iroh continued to chortle boisterously, earning a deadly glare from his nephew.

"Did you just... call Katara pretty?", Uncle asked between ragged gasps from his laughing fit.

Zuko felt his face heat up rather quickly; a deep blush invaded his cheeks as he realized what he had just said.

"Uncle! This isn't the time to be laughing! We have to get out of here!" Zuko shouted, his face now red from both embarrassment and utter rage.

The longer they stayed, the more likely Katara could find him and expose his identity. He couldn't believe his Uncle was turning this dire situation into a petty game. Iroh finally composed himself, looking his nephew straight in the eye.

"Prince Zuko...you shouldn't be trying to leave the dance, you should be taking advantage of this glorious opportunity! The girl of your dreams is here for the taking, my nephew. Go to her and make the most of this night!" Iroh advised cheerily. "If you're so worried about your identity being revealed, think of it like this: if she hasn't recognized you by now, she will definitely not recognize you as you are in this outfit."

Zuko, reluctantly, had to admit that Uncle made a point. He had never dressed so lavishly in a long time and definitely not in front of Katara. The chances of her recognizing him were slimmer than they had ever been, but it still worried him to be in the same room as Katara, let alone the same dance. Zuko continued to pester his uncle into leaving with him until Iroh finally stood up from his seat.

"Fine. Let us leave from this place." Uncle Iroh declared, seemingly exasperated. He led Zuko away from the refreshments table. Overwhelmed with relief, he smiled and followed his uncle across the dance floor. Zuko wondered why they took such a roundabout way to leave the dance, but didn't think much of it. As soon as the familiar scarlet-dressed girl came into view, he felt his relief collapse and broke out in a cold sweat. He prepared to take off. Unfortunately, he was too late.

"Excuse me, miss?" Uncle Iroh called to Katara while gently tapping her small shoulder. She and her partner turned around to face Iroh, and Zuko immediately felt his stomach drop. "My nephew here is rather fond of you, but seems too shy to talk. Would you like to honor him with a dance?"

Zuko stood wide-eyed behind his uncle, who appeared to be the only one smiling out of the group of unlikely socializers. Katara and her friend both wore looks of complete bewilderment. "_What the hell was he thinking?_" Zuko cursed to himself. A long moment of silence followed and everyone seemed frozen for eternity. Then Katara offered Zuko a subtle smile. It caught him completely off guard.

"I wouldn't mind..." Katara said shyly, a light blush tinting her cheeks. Toph smiled at Katara brightly and Iroh winked at Zuko. Both 'third wheels' withdrew from the dance floor, leaving Katara and Zuko alone. Zuko remained speechless, and the two teens simply stared at one another. He began to feel his panic diminish as he gazed at Katara. Despite his fear of her, Zuko had to admit how beautiful she looked, from her hair to her elegant outfit.

Once he acknowledged he had been looking over her rather passionately, a crimson blush quickly gilded his cheeks. Embarrassment began to take predominance over his previous panic. Abruptly, he felt the urge to create a good impression on Katara.

"Sorry for my uncle, he made things awkward and a bit tense." Zuko laughed nervously.

"Oh, it's all right. I've dealt with nosy relatives." Katara smirked. "By the way, I'm very glad to see you again. I hope your uncle was happy with the tea leaves."

"Yes, he was, thank you for getting them for me." Zuko kindly thanked her.

A long silence pierced the conversation. Zuko cursed himself for being so awkward. But, nonetheless, a certain weight had lifted off his chest; he felt calm standing with Katara. Her smile accentuated her big, cerulean eyes, making them glitter, holding a strong inner flame like the stars above them. As those eyes met his, he felt the same piercing sensation, but it was starkly different from before. What he felt was not fear or panic, but a sense of comfort, as if Katara understood him and his past.

"Well..." Zuko tried to hold back a blush creeping on his face. "Would you like to dance with me?" He gulped as his pulse quickened.

"Sure." Katara gave a brilliant smile, only embarrassing Zuko further.

He had learned to dance while in the Fire Nation; it was a custom for royalty. However, dancing with a girl in such an informal setting was nerve-wracking to him.

Nevertheless, he stretched out his hand, and gulped when her slender fingers gracefully slipped into his. Her other hand reached up to grasp his shoulder lightly, and he placed his other hand at the side of her waist. They swayed gently for some time, Zuko enjoying her figure close to him. He breathed in her scent and became intoxicated by its alluring sweetness. He resisted the urge to pull her closer to him; to indulge in the way she felt against him. Katara rested her head on his shoulder, causing Zuko to look down surprised at her. She looked up and smiled softly. He felt his heart clench at the gesture.

Zuko felt overwhelmed, as if an avalanche of emotions had fell upon him. He felt nervous, panicked, excited, terrified, and in awe, but, ultimately, he delighted in the wonderful mosaic of all his feelings, just as he found himself delighted by Katara's beauty.

Abruptly, Zuko was pulled from his impassioned musings when he looked down at Katara's neck. Sometime ago, a necklace had rested there, one with beautiful carvings of water and waves. He had often looked at it in his room at night, contemplating what significance it had held to the girl.

Zuko sighed guiltily. He had taken it away from her, taken it away from the girl who was now dancing gladly in his arms. He wondered if she missed that necklace. He longed to return it to her now. Zuko realized that this wasn't right. He was dancing with the enemy. Deceiving her. Deceiving himself. But still, he couldn't bring himself to pull away from Katara. Even though he had not spent much time with her, Zuko felt as if being with her would bring purpose back to his life again.

"_What am I thinking? I only danced with this girl, and now she brings meaning to my life?_" Zuko berated himself internally. He couldn't be thinking so deeply about her. He couldn't be so intoxicated by her.

Zuko ceased his swaying with Katara, breaking the close moment they had shared. Katara noticed the distressed look on his face.

"What's wrong?" Katara inquired worriedly.

"I..I'm just...I'm sorry." Zuko replied, not able to express himself to the young girl.

He pulled himself away from Katara's arms, and with a quick look back, walked away hurriedly from her.

Katara, panicking, grasped his wrist before he could move further away.

"Please tell me what's wrong..." Tears began to fill her deep blue eyes, sending a wave of guilt and compassion through Zuko.

"I just...I shouldn't have come here." Zuko said regretfully, his eyes turning away from the concerned girl.

"Did I do something wrong?" Katara's voice was barely above a whisper, and a tear rolled down her face.

Zuko broke down. He couldn't resist this girl anymore. Even if it was all a lie, even if it wasn't meant to be, even if he shouldn't be thinking about her and talking to her like this, he had to reassure the tearful face before him.

Zuko smiled warmly at her. "No, of course not. I'm sorry; I was just feeling a bit off for a second. And anyway, it's getting late. You should be getting home." Zuko said abruptly. " I wanted to thank you for dancing with me. I really enjoyed our time together."

Katara looked confused at the sudden change in attitude, but eventually smiled back at him. "Yeah, I guess I should be leaving. And no, I want to thank you for the dance. I had a wonderful time." She giggled. "You're a great dancer."

The two shared smiles for a moment and a sharp twinge of emotion overcame Zuko once again.

"Well then, I hope we'll see each other again soon." Katara said, hopeful.

"Yeah...me too." Zuko grinned back as he stuffed one hand in his pocket.

Zuko waved and turned around to leave, feeling a bit of sadness within him. Katara began to leave as well, when a look of realization crossed her face. With a small laugh, she turned towards the boy.

Suddenly, Zuko felt a soft, warm hand grasp his wrist. He couldn't help but grin when he saw Katara behind him.

"You know, this is kind of funny, but I never actually got your name." Katara giggled.

Zuko felt a rush of panic as he realized what she had just asked. His name..what was his name? He couldn't reveal himself as Zuko, and he never gave thought as to what a good alias would be.

Thinking quickly, he picked a typical earthbender name off the top of his head. He felt terrible lying to her, but it had to be done.

"I'm Shin...and your name?" Zuko replied, trying to keep calm.

"I'm Katara. Nice to meet you, Shin." Katara bowed playfully. "I guess I'll see you later then! Bye!"

Zuko waved his hand and watched as Katara scurried off to join her companion. He smirked as he saw her blush and giggle as she talked with her friend. Turning around, he walked over to where Uncle was near the fountain.

"So..how'd it go?" Iroh asked expectantly. Zuko merely shook his head at his uncle, a small grin on his face before they both departed from the square.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

Thank you so much for those who have been reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following our story! It means so much, and we love to hear feedback. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter; it was lots of fun writing the dance scene. A little longer than usual too, we combined the POVs. Anyways, please continue reading!


	5. Restlessness

Katara's heart pounded incessantly as she lay in her bed, the same as it had for most of the thrilling day. She was overwhelmed by all that had happened; emotions swirled in her heart, rendering her unable to focus on anything. The way Shin's intense, rapturous eyes gazed into hers as they danced together was seared into her mind.

Quietly, so as Toph wouldn't hear, she sounded out the name of the boy she was hopelessly entranced by. "Shin", Katara whispered softly into the blissful silence of the night. She felt her face grow warm just by the sound of his name.

Turning restlessly in her bed, Katara was having much trouble getting to sleep. Her head was filled with thoughts of Shin to the point where she could feel a headache coming on. The waterbender, through her perpetual connection with the moon and tides, could discern that the time had to be around three in the morning. She stifled a yawn and looked over to where Toph lay in her bed, sleeping peacefully, albeit with some snoring every once in awhile. She smirked, but began to blush embarrassedly as she remembered the conversation Toph and her had shared as they walked home from the dance.

_After parting with Shin, Katara had scampered off quickly to meet with Toph, her eyes glazed over with joy and her face flushed._

_Toph grinned goofily, clearly excited. "Katara! How'd your little dance with Jitterbug over there go?"_

_Katara blushed, unable to control her excitement. Although it wasn't like her to do so, she began to recount the whole scenario to Toph as they both walked home. This was very much to Toph's delight; she listened attentively, giggling and smiling at every other word._

_"Sugar Queen, even I could tell you two lovebirds were enamored of each other, and I can't see!" She waved her hands in front of her face for emphasis. "Shin's heart was beating so fast that it almost hurt my feet!"_

_Katara's heart skipped a beat, then both girls laughed and continued to talk._

As Katara endlessly replayed the events of the night, she unconsciously reached a hand to her neck to palm her mother's necklace. She had always clutched it tightly in her hands when her feelings seemed to overwhelm her, whether bad or good. It was as if she longed to share those emotions with her mother, even though she was gone.

Katara frowned despairingly as she remembered the fate of her precious necklace. All that her mother left behind, the very last piece she had left of her, was gone. Gone at the hands of one damned prince of the Fire Nation.

"Zuko." Katara whispered with a vengeance. The name held a bitter taste in her mouth. She scowled as his scarred face flashed through her mind, dangling her beloved necklace . It was he who chased Aang ruthlessly. It was he who destroyed her home. Her heart began to beat faster as her temper grew, and she swore to make Zuko pay for what he had done.

Her ambition began to falter, however, when she noted the strange absence of the Prince. He had not crossed paths with the group since their intense brawl in the Northern Water Tribe.

"_Just where is Zuko?_" Katara thought, frowning. She decided to be cautious for the terrible firebender, lest he harm Aang or steal more of her precious belongings.

Katara sighed deeply, calming her frazzled nerves. She suppressed her hatred for Zuko and instead settled her mind on Shin's enchanting smile, happily falling into a deep sleep.

* * *

Laying in his bed, Zuko ran his fingers over the meticulous carvings embedded in the small, blue pendant he held in his hand. The whole night seemed to be a blur of a million different emotions, so foreign and bizarre that he didn't know what to make of them. He endlessly replayed the events of the evening despite his desire to forget the affair.

Meeting Katara's brilliant blue eyes, seeing her radiant smile, dancing with her under the stars. The thoughts of the girl engulfed him to the point where sleep wasn't an option anymore. After relentlessly tossing in his bed, the young prince sat up in frustration. He stared intently at the necklace clenched between his fingers.

"_Why am I making such a big deal out of this?_" Zuko thought, irritated. He had lied countless times to others in the past, but deceiving Katara seemed to make him feel terribly guilty. She had just looked at him so sincerely, her eyes glinting with compassion. For once, someone didn't see him as the banished prince that he was. Although it was a lie, Katara looked at him with heartfelt kindness, seeing him without the scar of his past. Seeing him in all the ways his own family never could.

But Zuko slapped himself internally for the emotions he felt. "_I seriously only met her a few days ago. Talked to her for what, an hour? Why am I making her mean so much to me? This is idiotic._" Rolling his eyes, Zuko thought sarcastically, "_I might as well worship the girl._"

He sighed tiredly, mentally blocking his thoughts of Katara. He'd finally gotten ridden of his absurd quest to find the Avatar, and bringing those idiots back into his life would be the last thing he needed. Right now, Zuko needed to focus on staying away from the Fire Nation so that he and Uncle could live in safety.

Zuko tossed the girl's necklace on his nightstand, telling himself that he'd avoid Katara from now on. Although something still irked at the back of his mind, he brushed it off and drifted into a dreamless slumber.

* * *

Katara woke up early the next morning. Through the opened blinds in her window, she could see the sunrise paint the sky with hues of lavender and orange. She smiled brightly and slipped out from her bed. Noticing the morning chill immediately, she rubbed her arms and glanced over at the loudly snoring Toph. Katara laughed softly and left the room, closing the door with a quiet click.

Peering around the house, Katara rolled her eyes when she realized that she was the only one awake. "_Well, this is just usual._", she grinned. She went into the bathroom and looked at herself in the mirror. Her brown hair was pulled into a bun, which she quickly untied and let her locks fall loose across her shoulders. Using a brush on the counter and humming softly, Katara untangled the knots in her hair. She remembered her thoughts about Zuko from the night before and sighed heavily. Katara looked at her neck longingly, wishing her mother's necklace was resting there. She still felt great hatred towards the Prince, but calmed herself by switching her thoughts to Shin. Katara couldn't help but smile as she recalled the previous evening, her heart skipping a beat.

She quickly took a shower, then changed into warm, comfortable clothes. She remembered that Aang wanted to visit the circus they saw near King Kuei's Palace the other day. The waterbender giggled when she remembered the way Aang jumped when he saw the monkeys dancing around.

He had pulled on her sleeve playfully like a little kid. _"Katara! We have to go to the circus! Can Toph and I please take a break to go?_" Sometimes Katara couldn't believe that the savior of the world could be so immature. But nonetheless, she obliged and today was the day.

Katara worked in the kitchen, making breakfast for everyone. She started to become frustrated when she realized that by ten o'clock everyone was still asleep. She had woken up at six in the morning just to get ready for the trip that Aang wanted to go on, but he wasn't even up yet!

Katara huffed angrily and stormed to his room. She threw the wooden door open to find the boy sleeping, awkwardly positioned on his bed. Drool puddled under his mouth while he snored loudly, along with Sokka who murmured some ramblings about Suki. Katara tilted her head curiously and strolled over to her brother's bedside.

"Suki, let's ride off into the sunset together...of course you can massage my back..." Sokka mumbled into his pillow. Katara stifled a giggle, then leaned close to Sokka, eager to have some fun.

"Sokka, honey, I have something to tell you." Katara whispered deviously into her unsuspecting brother's ear. "I'm pregnant!" She began to laugh uncontrollably.

"WHAT?!" Sokka yelled, his eyes flying open in shock. He fell off his bed with a loud thud. Looking around for Suki, he started to blush as he realized where he was. Sokka glanced over at his hysterical sister. He narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"Katara..." Sokka said, emphasizing every syllable. Katara didn't even heed her brother's dangerous tone; she was laughing too hard to listen. "I'm gonna get you!" Sokka declared.

All the commotion in the room awoke Aang from his deep slumber. He arose from his bed while rubbing his eyes from both confusion and sleep. "What in the world is going on?" Aang asked, stifling a yawn.

"This little weasel here woke me up!" Sokka said, thrusting a finger at his chuckling sister. "And I was having an amazing dream too..." Sokka pouted disappointedly.

"You call getting Suki pregnant 'amazing'?" Katara gasped through her laughter while wiping a tear from the corner of her eye.

"It was amazing until you showed up!" Sokka exclaimed indignantly. Aang's eyes widened at Katara's allegation. Meanwhile, Sokka kept scolding his little sister to no avail; her laughter was only egged on more by his attempts. The young airbender focused his attention on the bickering siblings. Fed up with the fighting, Aang inhaled deeply. Then, in a swift motion, he blew huge gusts of air from his lungs, pushing Sokka and Katara to the other side of the room.

"Guys, that's enough!" Aang exclaimed. Sokka and Katara both gaped at Aang, who stood in the middle of the room with his arms crossed. Katara began to feel a bit guilty for causing a ruckus so early in the morning, but it was pretty hilarious. She stood up from her place and brushed the dust off her clothes, suppressing a grin. Anyway, she deserved to have some fun with the way everyone woke up so late. Sokka was mangled in bed sheets and pillows. He tried to untangle himself, but ended up even more netted in the bedding.

"Come on guys, breakfast is almost ready." Katara said as she left the room, Aang following behind. Sokka merely fell to the floor, fully wrapped up in the cloth and unable to break free.

A few minutes later, Toph walked into the living room where Aang sat comfortably.

"I could feel the whole freaking house shake in my sleep. What's going on?" Toph questioned groggily.

"Oh, nothing. Someone was just having a bad dream.." Katara explained while looking down into the pan of eggs she had fried. She still couldn't stop smiling. Toph remained confused but was too tired to interrogate any further and crashed onto the couch. Sokka then strolled into the room, stretching his arms.

"Good morning, everybody. Aang, Toph. Katara." Sokka glared discreetly. "Oh, by the way, can we stop by the market today? We need new blankets." Sokka said as he held up a bundle of torn bed sheets. Katara and Aang suppressed a giggle, but Toph just rolled her eyes in confusion.

"Yeah, sure. We have to go to that circus today anyway, so we can pick some up on the way." Katara said while serving a fried egg to Aang.

"Oh yeah! That circus is gonna be amazing! I heard that they'll be a seven-foot tall platypus-bear in the act!" Aang said with excitement. He continued to ramble on about the circus while Katara served the others.

Sokka joined in the hype as well. "Yeah, I heard The Rock is gonna be there! I _have_ to get his autograph!", he declared happily. The boys ranted on while Katara and Toph sat, eating their breakfast, and smiling softly.

"I know whose autograph Katara wants." Toph teased, grinning. Katara shot a glare at Toph but couldn't help the blush that crept on her cheeks.

"Oh really? Who? Is it The Boulder's? He's amazing!" Sokka asked excitedly.

Toph laughed while Katara stumbled over her words. "Oh...no...I..I didn't mean an earthbender..." The blush on her cheeks became darker.

"Oh, well, then who? One of the circus animals?" Aang inquired, confused. "If you want the platypus-bear's autograph, make sure you get one for me too! Tell him to make it out to 'Aang, your biggest fan.'"

"Yeah, cause that platypus-bear could totally write a signature, let alone whatever else you want." Toph remarked snidely.

"He's the greatest platypus-bear of all time; he can do anything!" Aang defended, convinced of the powers of the majestic circus animal.

Katara shook her head softly at Aang's silly remark, but Shin's face wouldn't leave her mind since Toph had mentioned him subtly. Katara knew it was foolish to get her hopes up, but maybe she could see him when they went shopping. But today was the day to have fun with everyone, so she shook her head to clear her thoughts of Shin and stood up.

"I'll clean up the table, and then we can all head out to the circus!", she grinned happily.

Katara went around the table and collected all the plates and glasses. While washing the dishes, she wished that Suki was here to help her with the cooking and other chores. Aang and Sokka were useless, while Toph was both blind and averse to 'such activities'.

After she had put away the last of the utensils and dishes, Katara dried her hands and called everyone to the door to leave. She grabbed her sack from atop the couch and adjusted the strap while she waited on the porch

"Oh yeah, circus here we come!" Aang said while marching out the house.

"Let's get this over with." Toph said while departing glumly.

"Long live The Boulder!" Sokka exclaimed reverently while throwing his hands up in the air.

Katara just laughed pleasantly and the group departed from their house to enjoy the day.

* * *

**Author's Note:**

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! It's sort of a cool-down from the previous, since the dance was pretty drama-filled! There's not much of Zuko's POV this chapter, but he'll definitely play a larger role next time. But oh, silly Sokka. He's just too funny; I was dying writing this. Anyways, thank you so much for those of you who have reviewed, favorited, and followed our story! It means so much to see that people like our writing. Please continue to do so; it's great encouragement. We'll keep the chapters coming!


	6. A Hesitant Decision

"Welcome to the Jasmine Dragon, how may I serve you today?", Zuko verbated to the customers sitting before him.

"Two cups of green tea please.."

Zuko wrote the order diligently but his mind was occupied elsewhere at the moment. He opened the kitchen doors and handed the slip of paper to Uncle, who began to work on the order. He hurried back to the crowd of customers in the dining room. The shop was packed with people thanks to that idiotic circus down the street.

_"Just what the hell is so entertaining about that circus anyway?"_, Zuko thought irritatedly. He continued to take the impatient customers' orders. He flitted from table to table, scribbling rapidly onto his little notepad. Zuko finally got to his last table. The elderly couple sat near the large window, patiently waiting for their order to be taken.

"Thank you for your patience. What can I get for you?" Zuko asked the nice couple. They seemed to be very serene compared to the other jerks yelling for their tea behind him. _"Isn't tea supposed to be for calm people?"_ He dismissed the rude thought and smiled warmly at the customers.

"Well, aren't you a handsome young man." the small old woman said with a smile. Zuko could not help but blush at her comment. These were nice people.

"Oh please, I've seen beetle-hawks that look better than him!" the crabby old man retorted with a dirty look. Maybe they weren't all nice people.

"Oh, don't mind him, dear. We'd like two lotus teas please." the elderly lady chimed pleasantly. Zuko had a hard time hearing the woman over the noise in the room.

"Ma'am, what was that? Two lotu-" Zuko began as he glanced absently out the huge window beside them. Amber eyes widened as he noticed an unmistakable girl in blue walking across the street. His attention to the couple dissipated as he stared at Katara, merely a few yards away from him. Zuko's heart skipped a beat.

_"Her again? Why is she here?"_ Zuko thought frantically. _"Okay... calm down. There's no reason to panic. But she knows I work here, so I need to stay out of her sight."_

"Okay, two lotus teas coming right up!" he said hurriedly, zipping out of the dining room and into the kitchen.

"Uncle! I saw Katara! She's in the city!" Zuko panted, his face red with exhaustion.

"Oh, is your girlfriend here to see you?" Iroh remarked pleasantly, brewing some tea. Zuko merely brought his palm to his face in frustration. He didn't even have the energy to yell at his Uncle's foolishness. Knowing the old man would not help, he took a seat on a stool at the rear of the kitchen.

Iroh glanced at his distressed nephew and shook his head slightly.

"Zuko, let's talk after the day is over." Iroh said seriously, different from his usual nature.

Zuko looked up for a second at his Uncle's change in tone, genuinely surprised. But the boy was too upset to say anything and continued to sit quietly.

By a few hours later, Zuko hesitantly stepped out from the kitchen to find Katara gone. He sighed and continued to take orders. Slowly, the shop's busy day dwindled to a close. Zuko started to feel anxious about what Uncle meant when he wanted to talk. It was just so out of character for him to act that way.

Zuko was wiping down the tables as Uncle strode into the dining room. The sun's faltering rays shone into the window, decorating the small shop in hues of orange and pink. It was quiet; no noise came from the empty square outside, and not a single customer lingered in the shop. The tea shop finally began to feel like a tea shop, a place of serenity and peace. Zuko basked in the silence of the store for a few moments. Then, Uncle began to speak.

"How do you feel about Katara?"

Zuko's head shot up to meet Iroh's eyes. Iroh stared back at his nephew earnestly. Zuko, however, was taken aback by his uncle's question. He looked down at the floor in utter confusion.

_"How do I feel about...Katara?"_, Zuko thought.

"You don't have to answer me, Zuko. This is something you need to answer for yourself."

Zuko looked to his Uncle and nodded thoughtfully.

Iroh sighed and shifted his gaze outside the window, studying the quaint buildings along the street.

"My nephew, I want you to be happy. I can tell that right now you are not. You are lost without your goal of honor, without a purpose."

The banished prince wouldn't look at his Uncle, but the words rang true in his mind.

"You are much greater than your father. You understand peace. Ozai has never understood that, and never will. He was never even a father figure for you in your life. My brother, he is terribly wicked."

Iroh turned and locked his eyes with his nephew's.

"You must help the Avatar to defeat him, Zuko. Ozai is ripping the world apart with his madness."

"And what can I do? I belong to neither side, Uncle! The Fire Nation has shunned me, and I am the Avatar's number one enemy! How can you expect me to face my father's wrath alone?!" Zuko shouted in defiance.

"Through Katara, Zuko, you can reach the Avatar. That girl is smitten with you, and you seem to be fond of her as well. If you can get closer to her, then you can also reconcile with the Avatar," Iroh calmly replied, not fazed by Zuko's outburst.

"But Uncle, she means nothing to me! And...I mean nothing to her.." Zuko said, deflated. In the end, no matter how much the young prince denied it, he wished he meant something to Katara. In the end, Katara did mean something to him.

"Zuko may be nothing to her, but Shin..." Iroh noted matter-of-factly. "He certainly means something to her."

"If I reveal my identity, and I must if we are to fight Ozai, how can I reconcile with them? All the trust Shin may have built will be broken," Zuko replied.

"My nephew, in this world, names mean nothing. Even though Shin may be different in Katara's eyes, you are still the same person with either name. If Katara and the Avatar cannot understand that Shin's good nature is also the good nature of Zuko, then I would rather you not join their group at all," Uncle remarked wisely.

Zuko contemplated his uncle's words._"Could they really find the heart to forgive me? After all I did to them...could I forgive someone for doing what I've done?"_

He thought deeply and realized that he couldn't. However, he was different from Aang. Zuko was raised to hold fire against others, while Aang was raised to forgive others. Aang was the Avatar for a reason: to bring balance to the world. And balance can not be found without forgiveness.

"_And after all, what other choice do I have? I can't live in hiding anymore, wasting my days pointlessly. I need to take action. And I can't do it alone._"

Zuko looked up at his Uncle, his eyes filled with determination.

"You're right, Uncle. I'll do it. I'll join Team Avatar."

* * *

"Woooo! That was the best circus performance I've ever seen!", Sokka exclaimed as he munched on a bucket of bean curd puffs from the circus.

"It's the only circus performance you've ever seen," Toph said, rolling her eyes but smiling as well.

"Hey, I'm with Sokka on this one, that circus was amazing!" Aang agreed enthusiastically.

Katara walked along the dark streets with her friends silently. They all had a long day and yet she seemed to be the only one to be tired from all the activity. She looked forward to just going home and making herself a relaxing cup of tea before bed.

"_Tea..._" Katara thought.

Shin came to her mind once again. There always happened to be something that reminded her of the boy. When the group reached the house, Katara unlocked the door and let her friends inside. Sometimes she really felt like the mother of the group!

It was rather late; everyone had already eaten dinner at a small restaurant near the circus. Katara was relieved that she didn't have to think about cooking at this late hour. Bidding her friends goodnight, the waterbender giggled as she remembered the fun day she had had. Sokka's excited shouts as the wrestlers tumbled on the stage were annoying at the time, but she remembered it rather fondly. Even Aang trying his best to get past security to get a signature from the platypus-bear was pretty fun.

The Water Tribe princess used a brush and untangled her knotted hair while gazing in the mirror. In the quiet moment, she remembered Shin and smiled softly. She noticed a small figure enter her room through the reflection.

"Fun night, huh, Sugar Queen?" Toph commented.

"Yeah, it was pretty great," Katara remarked softly.

Toph didn't bother to change her clothes and jumped in the bed, pulling the covers to her chin. Katara rolled her eyes. She had gotten used to the earthbender's habits; it was no use trying to change them.

"So, did you see Shin anywhere?" Toph winked, turning to face Katara.

Katara looked away and a small frown made its way onto her lips.

"Actually, no. I glanced into the tea shop where he works at, but I didn't see him," Katara replied, slightly disappointed.

"Oh, so you're stalking the kid now.." Toph joked. "Well, I'm sure he was just on break or something when you came by. Don't sweat it."

"Thanks," Katara smiled at the blind girl. "I really hope I can see him again.." Katara said as she turned back to the mirror.

"I'm sure you will soon enough. After all, bumping into you is his speciality." Toph remarked playfully. Katara grinned at her friend's words. She hoped Toph was right.

"Well, I think I'm gonna get some shut-eye. I'm bushed!", Toph said as she stretched her small arms towards the ceiling sleepily. "Night, Sugar Queen."

"Goodnight, Toph." Katara said. She stared into the mirror while she wove her hair into one long braid. Standing up from her seat, the waterbender made her way to her soft, white bed. Katara turned off the lamp and slipped into the warm, light covers. Her mind began to wander as she relaxed into the bedding.

"_I hope I will get to see him soon...But how?_" Katara murmured in her mind as she drifted to sleep.

* * *

**A/N:**

**Thank you so much for reading! Sorry for the late chapter...! We hope you enjoy :) I'm so happy that Zuko's joining their group. Lots of fun things in store, so keep reading/reviewing/favoriting/following...xD That's a lot of slashes. We'll update the next chappy sooner:)~!**


	7. A Question

Zuko hung up his apron on the kitchen rack tiredly. He only had the day shift, yet he was still exhausted from all the work. To make matters worse, today was the day he had decided to go meet with Katara. It occurred to Zuko that this was the first time he would go after her, instead of bumping into her in an unexpected fashion. The banished prince glanced at his uncle, who was meticulously watching a tea kettle boil in the small, dinky kitchen.

"Uncle, I'm going to see if I can find Katara," Zuko said flatly.

A small smile found its way onto the old man's face, but he didn't look away from the kettle.

"I hope you can spend some quality time with your girlfriend, Zuko," Iroh chuckled softly.

The Prince rolled his eyes, but didn't flame in anger like he usually did.

"I'll be back by evening," the boy remarked as he left the kitchen, his uncle still smiling softly.

Despite his cool attitude towards Iroh, Zuko was rather nervous about setting off to find the waterbender. His palms were sweaty with nervousness and his heart thumped rapidly in his chest as he made his way through the busy streets of the Ba Sing Se Square. Only when he had finished the second block did he realize he had no idea where to find Katara. He found himself making his way toward the forest where they first met. At least, where 'Shin' and Katara first met.

Zuko was once again very frustrated. "Why would she be in the forest? I'm such an idiot," he thought to himself. He began to turn away from the direction of the woods when a strange sensation overpowered his mind. Zuko knew the chances of seeing Katara in the forest were slim, but something in his gut told him to check it out for himself. After all, the other places he'd seen her before were pointless to check now. The dance was long over, and the shops Katara visited before were already closing. The forest was his last resort.

Zuko stormed into the vast greenery, pushing branches away from him as he followed the path from days prior. He walked and walked until his feet could not take him any farther. The prince began to wonder whether he was trying to find Katara or really just trying to run away from her. He let out harsh gasps, slowing to a stop in the middle of the brush. "This is useless." Zuko thought.

Suddenly, the sound of rushing water engulfed his ears. He closed his eyes and focused on the sound, feeling his pulse abate and a new sense of calmness take over. Zuko heard the river's waves cascade harmoniously to the left of him. He opened his eyes, then walked toward the noise. Surely enough, the crystal clear blue stream was a mere few feet away from him. And so was a beautiful girl, sitting at its bank. His pulse came to a complete halt.

He actually found Katara. She sat at the side of the stream, her feet dangling in the water. Her long dark hair was in a loose braid to her side, held by an intricate silver clip. The waterbender was lazily kneading the water in the stream, creating a rhythmic push and pull of the waves. She hadn't seemed to notice him yet.

Zuko, once again, was struck by her beauty and peacefulness. Water was such a different element than fire. Gulping slightly, the firebender tried to calm his racing heart. Katara hadn't noticed Zuko yet; he wanted to take the opportunity to have some mental preparation before he would try to truly befriend a member of the Avatar's group. Zuko took a deep breath, readying himself to do what he'd been dreading and desiring to do all day. Suddenly, while he shifted his feet, Zuko stepped on a small twig. A loud crack sounded from his place, and the now panicked prince shot a glance at the waterbender by the river. Katara quickly turned her head toward his direction.

"Who's there?" Katara shouted, as her hands rapidly swerved in front of her. The river was now flowing in a completely different direction: in between her delicate, but quick palms. Katara had a look of ferocity as she scanned the forest around her. Zuko, luckily, planted himself between two large spider-oak trees just in time. He gulped, while Katara stayed poised in her stance. Moments that felt like hours passed, until Zuko finally found the courage to speak from the trees.

"...It's me, Katara."

The waterbender recognized that deep voice anywhere. She immediately lowered the body of water she had held in the air. Still skeptical however, she kept the water flowing close to her with one of her hands. Zuko, seeing her close to being unarmed, stepped out from the trees that concealed him. Upon meeting eyes, Katara finally dropped the water back into the stream. Her eyes were wide at the sight of the boy she had thought about since the last time they were both in this very forest. A little grin found its way onto Katara's lips as she relaxed and sat back down.

Upon seeing Katara's smile, Zuko involuntarily beamed back at her. The kind behavior that Katara seemed to trigger in Zuko had shown in the prince once again.

"I thought I'd find you here." Zuko lied with a grin. "_Lie after lie, how many more do I have to tell?_" Zuko thought forlornly to himself.

Katara looked down from the prince's striking amber eyes in subtle shyness, pushing a strand of her chocolate brown hair behind her ear.

"Oh, really? You're a pretty good guesser." Katara responded with a laugh. Their eyes met once again, and Zuko felt an even stronger tingling sensation than he had before. He felt like cursing at himself for being so weak; he was too susceptible to this girl's charms.

"Thanks. So, what brings you back to the forest?", Zuko said openly. He crossed the grassy area separating the two of them and the closer he came, the faster his heart pounded.

"Well I...I always come here, just to think," Katara replied thoughtfully, her eyes studying the forest floor.

Zuko slowly took a seat on the grass a few feet away from the girl. He couldn't help but admire the soft waves of dark hair that framed Katara's face.

"Oh...I see," the prince replied, carefully choosing his words, "I was actually searching for you."

At Zuko's reply, Katara's cerulean eyes shot up to meet his amber. She was surprised to notice a light dusting of pink on the boy's cheeks, and couldn't manage to contain her blush either.

"...R-really?" she inquired, feeling nervous and slightly self-conscious.

Zuko took a deep breath mentally. He kept telling himself that he was only trying to get close to Katara for the sake of meeting the Avatar, but it was hard to think straight with her bright blue eyes holding his gaze. All he knew was he couldn't let her slip away from him again; she had to become his and his alone.

"Yeah. I...I haven't been able to stop thinking about you since the dance, Katara." he managed to express."Would it be okay if I...asked y-you out on a date?" he asked nervously. Zuko wanted to slap himself at how Katara seemed to just hypnotize him.

The blush on Katara's cheeks started to burn ever stronger, but she didn't move her eyes away from Zuko's. Even though nervous, the waterbender managed to put a cheeky smile on her face.

"Well, my answer depends on whether you actually are going to ask me out," Katara grinned.

Zuko gained some confidence at the sight of Katara's smile, and willed himself to finally ask the waterbender the long awaited question. The fiery prince looked up at Katara, eyes filled with desire, and spoke.

"Katara, I think we are great friends, and... I only want to us to get even closer. So, would you do me the honor of... going out with me?"

* * *

**A/N: **I'm not even going to give an excuse about how long it's been... _ Really sorry for those of you who've wanted an update. I've been a bit addicted to my newer story. ^-^; But, here you go! Hopefully the updates will be coming sooner. :3 Please review, favorite, and follow! It means so much. :3


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